Historic Look at German and Latino Immigrants to Lenawee County to be Researched

 Lenawee County Historical Society Awarded Grant Funding for Project 

The Michigan Humanities Council (MHC) announced today nearly $600,000 in grants to 26 Michigan organizations for the first round of funding for the Heritage Grants program, including $18,000 for the Lenawee County Historical Society. The Lenawee County Historical Society’s project, led by Amy Johnson, a recent Adrian College graduate, will focus on German and Latino populations in Lenawee.

According to MHC, “Heritage Grants support projects that bring the authentic voices of cultural identity groups to the foreground and help the people of our state understand cultural differences by sharing local stories about race and cultural history.”

The Lenawee County Historical Society plans to create a “dual track” exhibit on the history of immigration in Lenawee County by focusing on two groups: Germans and Latinos. The Museum holds so much of Lenawee’s history and culture, but has struggled to offer a fair representation of Lenawee’s Latino and German populations. This project seeks to establish an understanding of these ethnic roles within Lenawee. It will focus on how German and Latino immigrants have impacted the county through creation of enclaves in the larger community and creation of ethnic based organizations.

"We are excited to bring the story of two major contributors of Lenawee's history, the Germans and Latinos, to the Lenawee Historical Museum,” said Ray Lennard, board member of the Lenawee County Historical Society. “We will be actively seeking out stories and photos to help in showcasing the history of these two ethnic groups in our area.”